How to Save the World
by soaring.for.stars
Summary: Several seasons and generations after the Dark Forest battle, the forest is strangely quiet and peaceful. Of course, something bad always has to happen. Now the fate of the world, including StarClan, rests in the paws of three young cats. *Minor Spoilers*
1. Allegiances & Prologue

**A/N: Okay, here's my first fanfiction I published on here :) I hope you guys like it! I hope I can update frequently... anyway, minor **

**spoilers for the last two books in Omen of the Stars (I know they didn't come out yet. I mean actual spoilers I looked up online. xD **

**I stink). **

**On to the story~**

.:: ALLEGIANCES ::.

THUNDERCLAN

Leader: **Owlstar** - dark brown she-cat with lighter tabby stripes, amber eyes

Deputy: **Redclaw** - very dark ginger tom with bright green eyes

Medicine Cat: **Quailfeather** - calico she-cat with amber eyes and white paws

_apprentice: Thornpaw_

Warriors: **Willowfur** - white she-cat with brown dapples and blue eyes

_apprentice: Hawkpaw_

**Blackfoot** - white tom with black paws and yellow eyes

**Sparrowtail** - brown tabby tom with a white tail-tip, amber eyes

_apprentice: Rosepaw_

**Dawnfall** - ginger tabby she-cat with hazel-green eyes

**Adderfang** - gray tom with dark amber eyes

**Swiftstorm** - slim black-and-white tom with blue eyes

**Cricketsong **- pale brown she-cat with a white underbelly and chest, pale green eyes

**Flamecloud **_- _thick-furred ginger-and-white tom with amber eyes

Apprentices: **Thornpaw **- black-and-white tom with green eyes

**Hawkpaw **- pale ginger tom with darker dapples, blue eyes

**Rosepaw **- cream-colored she-cat with pink-tinted paws and green eyes

Queens: **Dewflower **- silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes. Mother of Sparrowtail's kits: Hailkit (pale gray she-kit, very pale yellow eyes) and Falconkit (very dark brown tabby tom)

**Breezetail **- black she-cat with small white specks, mother of Adderfang's kits: Nightkit(black tom, amber eyes), Ravenkit (black she-cat, blue eyes), and Pebblekit (small gray tom)

Elders: **Mudstripe **- brown tom with a black stripe running down his back

**Jasmine **- sleek black she-cat with white paws, violet eyes. Former kittypet.

**Snowface **_- _dark gray tom with a completely white face

* * *

><p><em><strong>Prologue<strong>_

The sun was rising peacefully over the horizon. The silvery grass was sprinkled with dew drops that sparkled in the new light. The sky was a gray-blue color, and dazzled with extremely bright, warm stars. A mourning dove cooed softly in greeting of the sun.

All was calm, until a great sand-colored shape pounced on the dove and silenced it's song with a swift bite to the neck.

"Excellent catch!"

The sand-colored cat snapped her head up, ears pricked towards the source of the meow. She purred when that source padded smoothly towards her.

"Thank you, Firestar." She nudged the dove towards the ginger tom. "Want a bite?"

"I wouldn't mind one, Sandstorm," Firestar purred back. He leaned down and took a generous sample of Sandstorm's catch.

"Bluestar called a meeting." Firestar gazed straight into Sandstorm's green eyes. The shade matched his own orbs perfectly. "It is serious, she says."

"Alright." Sandstorm buried the dove under a fern bush just a couple fox-lengths away. "I'll save that for later."

Firestar licked Sandstorm's ear affectionately. "Great. Let's go."

Together, the couples bounded gracefully through the meadows of StarClan, their eyes shining like moons and their pawsteps leaving behind trails of tiny stars.

Firestar and Sandstorm had lived in StarClan for many seasons now. Already they noticed that their pelts were growing slightly fainter. It would still be a while before they disappeared completely, so they could enjoy the peace and beauty of StarClan for years to come.

There was already a large crowd of cats gathered around the Moonpool. The black waters glittered ominously, reflecting the starry sky above it. One blue-furred she-cat sat on a tall boulder, staring down at the pool tensely. Her pelt was much more faded than Firestar's or Sandstorm's. That was Bluestar.

Beside her sat a tortoiseshell she-cat that always sparked a faint emotion in Sandstorm that she so desperately tried to ignore, but it was fired back every time her mate gazed at the former medicine cat. Spottedleaf looked equally as distressed as Bluestar.

"I wonder what's up?" Sandstorm murmured in Firestar's ear.

"I don't know," the tom replied grimly. "But it can't be good."

Then Bluestar rose her head and acknowledged the crowd with a clear blue stare. She opened her mouth, and got straight to the point.

"There is a grave omen that I will read to you all in a moment, but first let me notify you that it does not foretell a fate of total destruction of the Clans, as the Omen of the Stars did."

Many of the cats relaxed a little. Sandstorm knew that many of them, including herself and Firestar, were brutally killed by Dark Forest cats several seasons ago. Thankfully, the Four (Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and Dovewing) were able to destroy the Dark Forest once and for all. Now, the Dark Forest was just a blank space of nothingness.

What could this new threat be?

Bluestar spoke again. "I believe it tells that even StarClan will be destroyed with the Clans."

Oh. So that's what was worse. Now everyone was panicked, and Sandstorm pressed against Firestar's glittering pelt for comfort. He nuzzled her forehead back.

A new voice crackled over the chaotic yowls. "SHUT UP!"

Sandstorm couldn't help but chuckle as Yellowfang jumped up beside Bluestar, her gray fur fluffed up mostly in annoyance.

Bluestar dipped her head to Yellowfang. "Yes. Thank you. Now, we must not forget that there is always hope! Let me read the prophecy.

"_The calm before the storm is what you face. Danger lurks inside the dark land's empty space. All that you know is going to fall, if the chosen ones don't solve all. The fate of the Clans, from star to sky, rests in the paws of a butterfly, a pond, and the weather."_

It was definitely an interesting omen. A little different than some of the others that Sandstorm heard. It was a little long, and it even rhymed. Plus, it was sort of confusing.

"What we know from past prophecies is that we can't interpret them too literally, but this one seems pretty straightforward." This time it was Spottedleaf that spoke. "Also, the chosen ones must have something to do with a butterfly, a pond, and the weather, obviously. Does anyone have any ideas?"

There was silence around the pool. The Silverpelt twinkled eerily over the StarClan cats.

There was a slight muttering from behind Firestar and Sandstorm, and finally a cat spoke up.

"RiverClan probably has something to do with the pond." Mistystar, Bluestar's daughter, stood up, her silver pelt glowing as strongly as the moon. "Fishleap is having her kits at the moment. One of them could be a Pondkit."

Bluestar nodded to her kit. "Thank you, Mistystar. I agree with you. The butterfly, pond, and the weather probably have something to do with names. Our prophecies are usually like that. Anyone else?"

Another awkward silence. Sandstorm's mind was scrambling for ideas, but she kept coming up blank. She had been watching over ThunderClan since she died. Nothing to do with butterflies or weather ever came up.

"Please," Yellowfang meowed sternly. "Our fates are on the line!"

"Okay, I have a thought." A silver tabby she-cat bounded beside Yellowfang. "If this has to do with names, then look in the pool and watch this kittypet I've had my eye on for a while."

Curiously, Sandstorm peered over the water's edge. So did many other cats. The she-cat, a former kittypet and ThunderClan warrior, known as Millie, touched a paw in the black water, and instantly shapes began to swirl before them. Finally, the image rested on a very young kit with leopard-like fur rolling around behind her Twoleg's nest.

"You think that thing will save us all?" Yellowfang snorted, obviously unamused.

"I don't think I should have to remind you, Yellowfang, but I was a kittypet as well, you know." Firestar watched Yellowfang carefully. "I saved the Clans. I'm sure this kittypet could do as well."

Yellowfang simply rolled her eyes. Bluestar turned to Millie. "Why do you think this kit is a chosen one?"

"I think she's the butterfly," Millie responded calmly. "Her name is Monarch. My old Housefolk used to collect dead butterflies-"

"Disgusting," Yellowfang grumbled. "Stupid. Strange-"

"Enough, Yellowfang," Bluestar scolded, but gently. "Go on, Millie."

The former kittypet looked a little uncomfortable. "Right. Well, her favorite butterflies were called monarchs. This kit's name is Monarch. It fits, she's the butterfly."

There was a lot of murmuring amongst the gathered cats. Sandstorm knew most of them doubted kittypets, but anyone from ThunderClan knew how useful and powerful they could be, if they grew up in a Clan.

There was a sudden cry from the Moonpool's edge. "Watch her!" Russetfur rasped. "What is she doing?"

Silence met StarClan again as they all carefully stared down at Monarch. The young kit was crouched down in a perfect hunter's crouch. She was watching a young rabbit hop next to her Twoleg's fence. Monarch bunched up her muscles, waited for just a moment, before soaring across the grass with incredible speed. She pounced right on the rabbit's back, and took a couple bites at it's neck to kill it. The rabbit lay limp at her paws, and Monarch purred proudly at her fresh-kill.

"Never have I ever..." Ashstar, former leader of WindClan, was staring at the kit in awe. "She is definitely under six moons. She might only be two! How could she run that fast, and already catch a rabbit? That is unusual, even for WindClan!"

"That just proves my idea!" Millie meowed, addressing all of StarClan. "Monarch is the chosen one! We must lure her to WindClan somehow. Ashstar, could you send a message to Runningfoot and Eaglestar? Tell them to accept Monarch when she reaches WindClan."

"Of course." Ashstar dipped her head.

"Then someone must lure Monarch into the forest, then," Bluestar mewed. "Then a WindClan patrol can fetch her, and take her to their territory."

"I will do that, Bluestar." Spottedleaf replied. "Just let me know when I should go."

"Right now. Ashstar is visiting WindClan currently. Go, Spottedleaf, and take Monarch into the wild."

Sandstorm could tell memories were flashing before Firestar's eyes, of his early days as a kittypet, and meeting ThunderClan for the first time. They stared at each other for a moment, then turned back to the gather of cats.

"What about the weather, Bluestar?" Yellowfang asked. "That one isn't easy."

"I agree." Bluestar sighed tiredly. "We will just have to wait, but we will act quickly. Dewflower's kits are due any day, now. Maybe we'll have a sign then."

"We better hope so," Sandstorm whispered to herself. The thought of everything she knew, even StarClan, just being destroyed, was a thought she could bear.

How could she pray to StarClan now if she was already there? Was there hardly any hope when StarClan was just as helpless? She sighed sadly, and leaned against Firestar.

No, Sandstorm finally decided as she felt Firestar's warmth heat her body. There is always hope.

**A/N: Was that a good prologue to you guys? Please let me know by reviewing! :D**

**I will upload another chapter soon. :3**


	2. The Weather

**A/N: I told you I would update fast. XD It's only because I had this chapter already done. The next update might be tomorrow, after that, it shouldn't be long (hopefully).**

**Enjoy~**

_**Chapter One**_

**The Weather**

There was a firm shove on Hailkit's shoulder. Tiny claws pricked at her skin. Hailkit just grumbled and rolled over, snuggling her gray head into the soft moss.

There was another shove, much harder this time and it caused Hailkit to roll over on her back. A snicker sounded in her ear.

"Get up, lazy! Mom wants to speak with us!"

Hailkit snapped open her round, pale yellow eyes angrily to face her brother.

"Thanks, Falconkit, but you didn't need to claw me!"

Falconkit just rolled his own pale eyes, but his were green. "I kinda did. You sleep like a bear in the winter."

Hailkit scrambled to her paws, shaking the off the scraps of moss now stuck to her fur. "Do not! At least I don't talk when I sleep, and especially not about Rosepaw!" 

This definitely flustered Falconkit. He took a couple steps back out of the nursery. "I- I don't talk about Rosepaw..."

Hailkit snorted. "Yes, you do! 'Rosepaw, would you like to go on a hunt with me?' or, 'Rosepaw, I'll-'"

Falconkit swiped at Hailkit's face, but with sheathed claws. "Okay! Whatever, just drop it. Mom's out in the clearing."

Hailkit stretched out her back, then faced Falconkit. It was obviously raining just a few minutes ago, because his dark tabby pelt was sprinkled with tiny drops of water. Falconkit's expression was one of annoyance, but he still had that signature goofy look on his face.

The two littermates raced out onto the hard dirt flooring of the ThunderClan camp. Hailkit's suspicions were right; The dirt was damp and almost turned into mud. A couple of warriors were climbing the rocky cliff guarding ThunderClan, inspecting any loose stones or trees that could possibly fall. The bush that sheltered the apprentice's den dripped fat drops of rainwater over the entrance.

Dewflower, Hailkit and Falconkit's mother, was sitting beside the warrior's den, her yellow eyes watching them carefully. The kits were already known in the Clan for causing trouble, and Dewflower was obviously tired of making excuses for them.

"Sit here." She flicked her tail, motioning to the wet ground in front of her.

As they did, a large tabby cat prowled out of the warrior's den. His amber eyes gleamed with pride when he saw Hailkit and Falconkit.

"Kits," Sparrowtail purred in greeting. "Your mother and I have something to tell you." 

"You know how your apprentice ceremony was postponed for a moon?" Dewflower asked, her yellow eyes glinting slightly as she said it.

Hailkit and Falconkit nodded guiltily, and exchanged a look. They had escaped from camp one day a half moon ago, and had made it all the way to WindClan's border. Unfortunately, they couldn't tell they had crossed WindClan's border, and they were caught by a hunting patrol.

Hailkit had never seen Owlstar so angry. She instantly apologized to Eaglestar at once, and punished the kits severely. They weren't to leave the nursery for a half moon, and there would always be a warrior watching them during that time. Also, they were supposed to become apprentices a few days later, but Owlstar told them they would have to wait another moon.

The kits were devastated, and they never left the camp again. That also meant they were stuck to annoy each other for a half moon, and they couldn't join Hawkpaw and Rosepaw during their apprentice ceremony.

"Well, we have discussed that situation with Owlstar, and she agrees you two have finally learned your lesson."

Hailkit's stomach fluttered with hope. Did this mean...?

Sparrowtail smiled. "You will be made apprentices at sunset tonight."

"YES!" Falconkit slapped his tail over his mouth. His yelp came out a little too loud. Jasmine poked her head out of the elder's nest, which lay across the camp from them.

"Falconkit, watch your tongue!" She hissed, her lavender eyes narrowed into slits. Then she backed back into the shadows of her nest.

Dewflower glared at her son. "But if you cause anymore trouble between now and sunset, it's back to one moon, so behave!"

"Yes mother," Hailkit and Falconkit replied in unison, trying to sound as serious as possbile, but it was hard to when they were this excited.

As the walked away back to the nursery, Falconkit exclaimed, "I can't wait for sunset! We're actually going to be apprentices!"

Hailkit's whisker twitched in amusement. "I bet you missed little Rosepaw!"

Falconkit hissed. "I told you to drop it!"

Hailkit shrugged and pushed her way into the nursery's opening. "Since when do I drop anything?"

She faintly heard Falconkit mutter, "Good point," as she made her way over to Breezetail and her three kits.

"Guys! Hailkit's back!" One tiny voice squeaked.

Hailkit purred. "Hey, Ravenkit."

Her tiny black head shook a couple of drops of water off her ears. "I think there's a leak right above me! It's annoying."

Hailkit looked up and noticed a tiny crack in the woven branches. "Yeah, looks like it. Maybe it'll be my job to fix it tomorrow."

Ravenkit cocked her head, confused, and her two other siblings peered over Breezetail's back. "Whatcha mean?"

Falconkit trotted over to the three younger kits. "We're gonna be apprentices tonight!"

The smallest kit, a fluffy gray one, gasped. "Really? Owlstar changed her mind?"

"Yeah, Pebblekit. I'm gonna be Falcon_paw_!" 

The three kits looked pretty amazed. Their eyes were opened wide, and they glittered in the new morning sun. "I can't believe you guys. Then you'll be warriors!"

"You guys will be apprentices in a few moons," Hailkit assured them. "We can all train together!"

"I'm gonna be the best warrior ever!" Nightkit, who appeared to be Ravenkit's twin, but with green eyes instead of blue, fluffed out his tiny chest proudly. "My dad is the strongest warrior in ThunderClan. Adderfang never lost a battle!"

"Neither has Sparrowtail," Falconkit grumbled, but Hailkit nudged his shoulder to quiet him. It was true, Adderfang was a very good warrior, but Sparrowtail was already well known for rescuing his sister, Thrushpaw, from a fox, while he was only an apprentice. Sadly, Thrushpaw died of her wounds by the time they got back to camp, but she was never forgotten.

"Yes, that's true, but please, take a nap," mumbled Breezetail. She turned her head to acknowledge Hailkit and Falconkit. "Congratulations, by the way. You make great warriors some day, like your parents."

Hailkit grinned. "Thanks, Breezetail."

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave, though," Breezetail sighed. "I'm sorry, but these kits do need there sleep still."

"Yeah." Hailkit nodded. "Have a nice nap."

"Bye, Hailkit and Falconkit!" The kits called in unison. There eyes were still heavy with tiredness, so the siblings left as quickly as possible.

They trotted side by side into the clearing. "What do you want to do now?" Falconkit asked.

"Let's go see if the elders can tell us a story," Hailkit suggested. She turned to the direction of the elder's den, but Falconkit froze.

"Uh, no," he mewed anxiously. "Jasmine is still mad at me, I bet, for waking her up!"

"She probably already asleep by now!" Hailkit responded. "Don't be such a baby. Snowface will tell us the story, then." 

Falconkit groaned. "Fine! If Jasmine bites my ears off, don't say I didn't warn you."

Hailkit just giggled. "If you're gonna be a warrior, you have to get over your fear of elders, first!"

**A/N: I know, short and not exciting. The next chapter might be like that, too. I'll get some more action in soon.  
>Please review :3<strong>


	3. Fly Away Home

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, Paintedmoon, TabbyCat47, and Moonblaze 13! Your reviews really mean a lot to me! Virtual hugs all around :D You want a hug, too? Well review then! Tell me if you liked it or hated it or whatever x3 **

**Here we go~**

_**Chapter Two**_

**Fly Away Home**

A few moons ago *

Monarch was restless. She watched the fence for any more signs of activity. The kit swore she saw a shape moving up there just seconds ago. Maybe another bird? Or a butterfly? Butterflies were always fun to chase around.

Monarch studied the ridge of the fence with focused, narrowed green eyes. Her ginger dappled pelt gleamed gold in the setting sun. Now was always a good time to try and catch any last birds or rabbits who were tucking into the nests before dark.

A few minutes later, Monarch was still not satisfied. She decided to turn back into her Housefolk's home, when the silhouette of a cat caught her eye.

The kit stared up in awe at the cat before her. It was not like most of the fat, lazy housecats she saw lying around here. This cat, a she-cat by the scent of it, was muscled and lean and thin. She looked rather dangerous. Her fur was dappled, like Monarch's, but there were several more colors to her pelt.

"Hello," the cat greeted with a soft meow. "You must be Monarch."

Monarch just stared. Eventually she realized her mouth was wide open. Quickly, she snapped her jaws shut. "How do you know me? Who are you?"

"You can call me Spottedleaf," the she-cat replied. "I have been watching you for some time, Monarch. You aren't like the other kittypets around here."

"Kittypets?" Monarch guessed she was talking about the housecats. "How am I any different?"

Spottedleaf purred. "In almost every way. You aren't made to live with Twolegs, are you? You belong with the Clans. You can hunt, you are very fast, and you are intelligent. WindClan should be your home."

Monarch blinked. She wasn't really sure how to reply to that. Twolegs? Clans? WindClan? What was this strange cat blabbering about?

But she was right about one thing. Monarch was a five moon old kit, and she easily caught a rabbit and enjoyed it. Sam, the fat brown cat next door, just shook his head and called her weird. Monarch never thought she could live her whole life like fat Sam.

"I can tell you are confused," Spottedleaf went on. "Can you climb the fence? Out in the forest, I will explain more there."

"Um, yeah." Monarch felt a little uneasy. If she left with Spottedleaf, would she ever see her housefolk again?

Who cares? She argued with herself. You've only lived with them for a moon. It wouldn't be much of a tragedy if she ran off. They were really busy, anyway. They obviously didn't have time for Monarch.

Monarch bunched up her muscles, and leaped into the air. As well as being a fast runner, she was a good jumper. The latched onto the wooden, peeling fence with unsheathed claws, and scrambled up the fence, pushing with her back paws and pulling with her front.

In minutes, Monarch was by Spottedleaf's side. When she got a closer look at Spottedleaf, she gasped.

The she-cat's fur was literally sparkling, and she was slightly transparent. Her eyes glowed like two small moons. Spottedleaf noticed her observing her different appearance.

"I come from some where else," she explained. "I used to live here. Now my spirit has moved on to StarClan, the Clan of dead cats who watch over all."

Monarch simply blinked like she did minutes before. Should she believe Spottedleaf? Well, whatever explanation she had, it couldn't be any more believable than the one she gave.

"I guess I understand," Monarch finally mewed. "What are Clans, exactly?"

"Come with me into the wild." Spottedleaf grabbed Monarch by the scruff suddenly. "We will speak there."

* Present day *

Six moons ago, Soaringpaw was Monarch, and she was a kittypet. Now she was a proud apprentice of WindClan.

It took time for WindClan to accept an outsider, especially a kittypet. But soon the Clan learned that Soaringpaw was no ordinary housecat. She was a natural born hunter as well as a runner. Many cats had hopes that Soaringpaw would be very valuable to WindClan.

Eaglestar was oddly very welcoming to Soaringpaw when she first arrived. He gave her an apprentice name just days after she made a home in the nursery with Shortgrass and her kits, who were now known as Duskpaw and Juniperpaw.

Even so, there were a few cats that did not trust Soaringpaw, namely Deerpaw, the eldest apprentice. He always cast her dirty looks, and gossiped about her with his friend, Whiskpaw.

Now Soaringpaw was running alongside her mentor, Coolbreeze, through the tall grasses of the WindClan prairie. He was also the deputy of WindClan.

Running was always Soaringpaw's favorite thing to do. The wind whipped straight through her fur, and shapes and landscapes just zoomed beside her. Looking up into the big blue sky, and watching the white whispy clouds slowly roll by, it felt like she was flying like a bird.

When they reached the ridge that bordered with ThunderClan, the stopped. The view always took Soaringpaw's breath away, no matter how many times she came here with her mentor.

The lake was still, and the birds sang peacefully in the distance. The sun was ever so slowly falling behind the hills in the distance. A breeze pulled at Soaringpaw's and Coolbreeze's fur, but it felt nice.

This is the life, Soaringpaw thought. This is home.

*In RiverClan territory*

The young apprentice couldn't see anything. The black, unforgiving waters rushed up into his nose, blinding his vision in the process, and began to suck him down into the mysterious depths below.

_Help! _The kit thought desperately. _StarClan, where are you?_

His lungs were aching from lack of air. He felt like he was about to implode.

Slowly, he began to feel lighter. The water was not fiery cold anymore. It was numbing him, relaxing him...

_Relax... just relax... _A voice cooed in the apprentice's head. _Give in... let it all go..._

_No! _The apprentice made a weary attempt to push up with his webbed paws, but it was hardly a use. _I will not die, not yet!  
><em>

He was just sinking for a moment. He was to sore and tired to struggle anymore. The water just sucked him down, down down... all he could hear was the sound of rushing water, and that little voice that continued to argue with him.

It was too much; the apprentice opened his mouth instinctively to breath, he couldn't stop it. He prepared for water to fill him up... he prepared to die...

But the water didn't come. Instead, he was sucking in something like oxygen into his mouth. He took another breath. His lungs weren't burning anymore, his head was clearing up, and he was feeling alive again.

_What is happening? _The young cat wondered, but he decided now wasn't the time to wonder about what was saving him. Now, he had to rescue himself from the flood.

Now that his energy was starting to come back with the air filling his lungs, he tried swimming to the surface again. This time, he was making much more progress.

The apprentice remembered what his mentor had told him about swimming. _Claw with your front, kick with your back. Keep it calm, keep it graceful, and don't stop._

He was rising, he could feel it. He could see light above him, now. He pointed his nose towards the surface, and kept breathing in the water. Breathing water felt unnatural, but it was working, it was keeping him alive.

Finally, his head broke the surface. His vision was still blurred, but a few fox-lengths away he saw the sandy bay. The apprentice didn't have to swim there, though, because someone grabbed his scruff and was swimming for him.

His limp, soaking wet body was thrown onto the sand. He landed with a wet flop. His rescuer was right behind him, dragging herself onto the shore.

"Pondpaw!" The voice cried. "Can you hear me? Are you okay?"

Pondpaw snorted the water out of his nose in response. A golden tabby she-cat padded over to him, her fur dripping the river water.

"I am so relieved your alive," she breathed. "Are you able to talk?"

"Fishleap?" Pondpaw croaked. The golden cat, Fishleap sighed, obviously satisfied with that answer.

"Yes, it's me." Fishleap coughed. "Do you remember what happened?"

Pondpaw nodded. It had rained all day yesterday and last night. New leaf was very wet this year, and it had flooded the river by the RiverClan camp. It swelled so much larger than it ever had before. It caught the RiverClan camp in it's harsh waves, and Pondpaw would be very amazed if someone didn't drown from it.

"How is the camp?" He asked, trying to stand up on his paws. Fishleap steadied him so he could walk.

Fishleap looked away briefly as Pondpaw asked the question, as if she didn't want Pondpaw to see her pain. Then she turned back, and sighed.

"It is completely destroyed, Pondpaw. So many cats were swept away, but I think most of them survived."

"What about Streampaw?" He asked urgently. Streampaw was his sister, and his best friend. If something happened to his sweet, innocent sister, Pondpaw couldn't imagine how he would go on.

"I haven't seen her." Fishleap responded, but then she quickly added, "Streampaw is a very strong swimmer. I bet she found a safe place."

The two of them wandered up a slope and continued on through the rubble as they tried to relocate their Clan. Sticks, stones, and all sorts of debris was scattered. Pondpaw knew most of it used to be the dens they lived in.

Eventually, they found many cats huddled together on a high ridge that usually looked over RiverClan camp, but now it was looking over piles of trash. The cats eyes were blank and clouded with fear and sorrow.

"My son!" Someone was trying to push her way through the crowd of cats, and a black she-cat hurdled right into Pondpaw.

"Mom," he purred, nuzzling his silver-and-black head into his mother's chest. "I'm okay."

"I was so worried!" Pondpaw's mother cried. "I could never lose you, my sweet kit..."

"Rainfall." Fishleap came to stand beside Pondpaw. "Have you seen your other kits?"

Rainfall froze. Then her body was racked with sobs, and Pondpaw was stricken with fear. What had happened?

"R-Reedpaw is alive, he's b-back over there," Rainfall sobbed. "B-but, S-s-"

She didn't need to continue. Pondpaw and Fishleap understood. Pondpaw regretfully tore away from his mother, but he had to find Reedpaw.

In the back of the crowd lay three bodies: two kits and a very familiar apprentice. A small black tom was crouched over the apprentice, licking her soft silver fur.

Pondpaw yowled and hurled himself at the body. He buried his nose into the pelt. Reedpaw sobbed in unison with his brother.

_Why, StarClan? _Pondpaw thought angrily, giving Streampaw's limp body a lick. _Why do you make the innocent suffer?_

**A/N: Stay tuned for more! :D**

**~Soar **


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